Equalize has launched!

 

The game that I have been working on the past 3 months went live today. You can find it at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/equalize-math/id680194508?ls=1&mt=8

The game is called Equalize Math. Basically, Rainblade Studios did the impossible and made math fun. Check it out and spread the word.

The game is made in Unity, and is out on the Apple App Store. It will be out soon on the Windows and Android platforms as well.

Post-Mortem - Ludum Dare 26

From April 26th to the 28th I did not sleep very much. Instead, I built a game for Ludum Dare.

You can play it here: Minimalistic Minimization

I used Unity3D, and UnityScript.  I built the ship in Maya 2013, and did a little art in Photoshop CS2. Everything else was all from Unity. I also ingested ice cream and caffeine in the form of a Monster.

What went right:

1. I finished! Being my second time, I understood my limits a little better, and knew my time frame.
2. The game is basically complete. It keeps score, it has sound, it has a beginning and an end.
3. The game is fun (according to the comments, and friends, and, of course, myself!).
4. I enjoyed doing it. I am now a super technical person, so doing the programming side of games is a little hard for me, but I love learning how it all goes together. This just gave me another opportunity to do so.
5. Getting the rotation of the ship just right. I love the feel of it, as it barrel-rolls around the debris.
6. And, getting the explosion of the ship just right.
1. The explosion has two parts. One is a particle effect, and the other is a bunch of instantiated rigidbodies.
2. The ship also slowly shrinks, but still allows the player to control it until it finally is destroyed.

What went wrong:

1. It's not built with efficiency in mind. Which is fine for a 48 hr competition, but when it comes to porting it to mobile, this might cause some problems.
2. I also spent a lot of time on an idea that I eventually gave up on. This happened last time as well.
3. Decided at the last minute to try and get the sound working. I have never worked with audio in Unity, so figuring it out on the fly was almost a disaster.
4. I did not have very much time for art, though seeing as the theme was "Minimalism", I was not as worried about it.
5. When it came to submitting, I reallized an hour after the fact that my Mac app was not linked correctly. Who knows how many people tried to play it and couldn't. (Probably no one, since I submitted an hour or so early, but still.)
6. Staying up all night does not work. I stayed up until 5 am, and then slept until 2 pm. Then, it still took me awhile to get back into the game to finish it.

Takeaway:

I love Unity. The forums, the answers, the documentation. It just makes sense.

I think the reason I enjoy these game jams is the camaraderie I feel with the other devs. Watching my twitter feed blow up with images and funny quips about experiences, pleas for help and profanities as something goes horribly wrong, and the ALL CAP tweets of joy really makes me feel like a part of some huge force. The fact that I can ask a question and not be laughed at, but get a genuine and thoughtful response, is the number one reason I participate. The community. We are indie, but not independent in the sense of being alone. We are all together.

Also, I enjoy making games.

Please, let me know what you think of the game. I would love your feedback.

Thanks!

Post-Mortem - Ludum Dare 25

Better late than never I suppose...

I participated in the Ludum Dare for the first time. Check out the site here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/

And my entry is here: You are the Asteroid!

I did the competition, so I had 48 hrs to create a working game. The theme was "You are the Villain".

What went right:

• I FINISHED!!!. I was able to upload a playable game. That was awesome. My first ever.

• The effects. I enjoyed the imagery of my game. Going for over-the-top fx was fun. Maybe could have been pushed a little bit more.

• Coding - I brushed up on my unity scripting abilities, and had a blast doing it.

• The community - I really enjoyed the event, and following along with others as we all participated. It was extremely fun seeing all the entries.

What went wrong:

• I think the biggest thing that affected my performance was the fact that I started out with no direction. Halfway through I changed what I was going to do, and didn't even have a one-sheet for the design or purpose.

• Controls - Didn't get a lot of time to test them. They worked, but it seems many people found them confusing.

• No sound. Submitted at the last second, and had no time for even placeholder sound.

Overall, I had a great time. Pushed myself, as I am an animator, and never really did a whole game before, so this was intense. I learned a lot, and I am excited to continue participating in the Indie community. I love it here.

I would also like to thank everyone who commented and helped out. Once again, a great community. You all rock.